Sandy's Super Cafe
by Theinsanefangirl
Summary: E. Aster Bunnymund and Jack Frost work at the local coffee shop ran by Sandy Manners, a job that was given to them by the help of St. Nicholas North. Bunny meets and falls for Toothiana (Tooth) who is studying to be a dentist. AU CoffeeShop Sweetooth. (Will be on my tumblr as well).
1. Chapter 1

Sandy's Super Cafe

E. Aster Bunnymund sighed as he stuck his hands in his pockets and walked from his apartment to the cafe he worked at. Sandy's Super Cafe was a small cafe owned by Sandy Manners (they call him the Sandman sometimes), a man who rarely spoke, but loved to make people happy. The cafe was located in the heart of town fairly close to the university. Though it was in the heart of town, it didn't see much business because of the larger cafe a block away. However, the staff was grateful to the people who did show up.

Bunnymund took one hand out of his pockets to open the door, the familiar ringing noise echoing throughout his ears.

The cafe, though small, was decorated beautifully. Sandy loved things associated with dreams, and so, he decorate his cafe with paintings of gold dinosaurs, dolphins, unicorns, stuff that children usually dreamt of.

"Finally! Kangaroo, what took you so long?" The teenage Jack Frost yelled from behind the counter. Jack was 17 years old with white hair and piercing blue eyes. He had this smirk that Bunnymund absolutely hated. If he had his way, he would wipe that smirk clean off the kid's face.

"Ah, shut it," Bunnymund snapped as he went behind the counter and grabbed his apron. He yawned loudly. "I wish we had the day off today."

"Yeah, same here. Did Sophie keep you up again?"

"Not too late, but yeah."

"Time to open up, guys!" Emma, the manager, called to them.

Bunnymund nodded, going over to turn the 'closed' sign to 'open.' He never understood why they kept the cafe open for so long. They never got that many people here.

Within the next three hours, only a handful of people came in. Most of them were from the university. And they didn't stay long. They just bought a cup of coffee and left to their classes.

"Did you see that new tv show?" Jack asked when business was particularly slow.

"Which one?" Bunnymund asked.

"The name escapes me but it's about some guy who ends up going to an alien planet and he meets a girl there. She doesn't understand his customs, and it turns out a lot of the stuff he does is offensive to her people. The guy ends up getting hit a lot!"

"Frankly, Frost, that sounds stupid."

"It wasn't too bad," Jack shrugged. Bunnymund gave him a look. "Yeah, it was pretty stupid." He laughed.

"And no, I didn't see it," he answered. "I was watching some kid's movie with Soph last night."

Jack laughed out loud. "You? Big tough Kangaroo? A kid's movie?"

"First off, I am not a kangaroo," Bunnymund sneered. "Secondly, I have a little girl, so I need to do things a little girl would like. And that includes watching a kid's film."

"Excuse me?" Someone asked, gaining Jack's attention.

"Oh, sorry!" Jack bounded over. "How can I help you, sir?"

"I'd like a small coffee. Black," he answered.

Jack nodded, taking down the order. "Kangaroo, order up!" He yelled, tossing the pad to Bunnymund who caught it with ease.

"I'm not a bloody kangaroo," he muttered as he started working on the person's order.

As he did that, the bell rang, indicating someone else had entered the cafe.

Bunnymund put the coffee on the counter next to Jack, who usually went to give the customer their orders when business was slow. That was when he saw her. Bunnymund stopped, unable to tear his eyes away from this girl.

She was tall, slender, with fiery red hair accessorized with blue and green feathers. She had soft brown eyes shrouded by light pink eyeshadow. Her lips were also a light pink. She wore tight blue jeans, pink flats, and a green jumper.

Bunnymund also noticed she had a bag slung over her shoulder and book in her arms; she must be from the university.

"Hi," she smiled softly at Jack as she came up to the counter to order. "I'd like a mint cappuccino, please."

"You got it," Jack replied, taking down the order. "Here you go," he said to Bunnymund.

Bunnymund smiled slightly, getting to work on the girl's order. As he finished, a thought occurred to him.

"Is that ready?" Jack asked, holding out his hand for the cup. "What is it?" He asked when Bunnymund didn't give it to him.

"I… Jack, do you mind if I take it to her?"

"What? Why…?" Jack glanced over at the girl, who was flipping through the pages of her text book. "Oh, I see. You've got a crush."

Bunnymund flushed pink. "Please, I don't even know her! Just… come on, Jack." He was bouncing himself on the balls of his feet.

"I don't know why you're asking me. If you want to do it, just do it."

Bunnymund took a deep breath and went over to where she was sitting.

"Excuse me, sheila?" He asked.

She looked up at him, slightly confused. "I think you may have me confused with someone else."

"Oh, sheila is a term we use for 'girls.' Sorry for the confusion," he blushed.

"Oh, no, no. I'm sorry." She smiled. "Thank you," she said when he placed her coffee on the table. "Bunny?" She chuckled as she read his name tag.

Bunnymund felt his cheeks reddened, and he looked down at the ground.

"My last name is Bunnymund," he muttered. "They call me 'Bunny.' What's your name? If you don't mind me asking…"

She bit her lip and smiled. "Toothiana. Tooth for short."

"Toothiania?" And he thought his name was strange.

"Go ahead, laugh," she shrugged.

"No, I'm not gonna laugh at ya," he assured her. "To be quite honest, I find it a rather beautiful name." He blushed again as the words left his mouth. "Well, you know…"

"Thank you."

"So…" He cleared his throat. "You go to school? You've got books, so I assumed."

"Yeah, that's it," she smiled.

"What are you studying?" He asked, looking at the books she had brought.

To his surprise, Tooth turned red. "What is it?"

"It's silly…" she explained. "Are you sure you want to know."

"Aw, come on," he prodded with a smirk. "Can't be that bad."

Tooth bit her lip and looked down at her book. She, then, flickered eyes up to Bunny's and said, "Teeth."

He let out a small laugh. "No, no, I'm not laughing at you!" He said, waving his hands. "I think it's cute. A girl named Tooth studying teeth."

"Yo, kangaroo!" Jack called from behind the counter. "You gonna spend all night talking to her?!"

Bunny stiffened at the sound of Jack's voice. During the time he spent talking to Toothiana, he forgot that he was at work. "Sorry," he muttered to her. He was about to walk away when a sudden rush of confidence spread throughout his body. "Listen," he said, turning back around to face her. "I hope this doesn't sound too forward of me, but I get off in half an hour. Could I… maybe… walk you home?" As the words left his lips, so did the confidence. His heart was pounding as he waited for her answer.

"I'd like that," she said.

"Great. Half an hour." He grinned and made his way back to the counter. His grin faded as he saw Jack's smirk. "Shut it, Frost."

"I didn't say anything," Jack sang.

"No, but you were thinking it."

Jack waved at Tooth and gave her a little smile.

Bunny stood by the coffee maker, the grin back on his face as he anticipated the end of the work day.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Bunny felt kind of guilty having Tooth wait for him to get off work. Every few seconds, he would glance up at her. He half-expected her to just leave, but she didn't. She just stayed in her seat, reading her textbook and taking notes. He noticed the way her nose scrunched up when she concentrated really hard; he thought it was a bit cute.

He didn't understand why he had to stay the whole time. It wasn't like the place was packed. Aside from Tooth, there were four other people. But, he knew what North would say. North was a very close friend of Sandy, and he was the reason why Bunny and Jack had jobs. North would tell Bunny that you never know what might happen. Maybe, at last minute, people come swarming in. Though that never happened, Bunny figured it wasn't impossible. So, he stayed, making and refilling coffee.

"Finally," Bunny sighed when he realized it was time for him to get off. The sun was sinking into the horizon, and soon, the moon would take its place. "Jack, I'm heading out now."

Jack, who was cleaning the counter with a grey rag, looked up. "Yeah, I'll see you back at the apartment later."

"Sure, thing," Bunny nodded, putting his apron back on the rack. He ran a hand through his blue-grey hair as he walked to Tooth. She was putting her book back in her bag. "Ready to go, sheila?"

"All ready," she grinned, slinging her bag over her shoulder and getting up from the table. "By the way, the mint cappuccino was amazing."

"Glad you liked it," he said with a smile as he opened the door for her.

Jack gave Bunny a wink right before he closed the door behind them.

Tooth yawned loudly, stretching out an arm. "I'm so tired. School's pretty exhausting."

"I should think so," he replied. "I've been thinking of going. You know, to a community college or something."

"You should!" Tooth smiled. "It's such a rewarding experience. Oh, not like what you're doing isn't rewarding."

Bunny scoffed. "You don't need to sugarcoat it, Tooth. It isn't that rewarding. I'm grateful I have a job, but I'm sick to death of it."

"What would you like to do?" She asked.

Bunny stopped walking as he pondered it. "Painting sounds fun. I used to do it a lot during my spare time, I work nearly every day."

"Painting?" He blushed, nodding. She probably thought it was a stupid dream to have. "That's so cool! I had a friend who loved to paint."

"Had? What happened? If… you want to tell me."

She laughed, shaking her head. "Nothing bad. We just drifted apart, you know. After high school. I hope he's pursuing his dream because he was extraordinary."

Bunny went over to the fountain in the middle of the plaza. It was a stone fountain of dolphins; he always wondered if Sandy had anything to do with the design. He patted the spot next to him, and Tooth bounced over to sit.

"I could ask North for part-time," he mused. "Oh, North, he's… a friend of mine. He's the one who got Jack and me the jobs. Anyway… that still would pose as a problem."

"Why?" Tooth asked.

Just as Bunny was about to speak, a dark, velvet voice interrupted him.

"Toothiana," the voice said. Bunny and Tooth both looked up to see a tall man with slicked back black hair walking towards them. His long, slender fingers were laced behind his back. "Fancy seeing you here."

Tooth smiled at the man approaching. "Pitch, it's been a while."

"That it has." He came over to stand in front of Bunny and Tooth, and Bunny felt himself shudder. "Who is this?"

"Oh, Pitch, this is Bunny. Bunny, this is Pitch," Tooth introduced them.

Bunny's lip twitched in annoyance when he saw a smirk cross Pitch's features.

"'Bunny?' That's an interesting name."

"Oh, yeah?" Bunny asked, trying to keep his voice steady. "What kind of name is Pitch, then?"

Pitch shrugged. "A strange name, as well as yours and Tooth's."

"Pitch goes to the university. He's studying psychology."

"I just love getting into people's heads. Finding out what makes them tick," he sighed dreamily, as if he was thinking of a woman and not a field of study.

"Well," Bunny sighed, "we've all got something we're passionate about."

"Bunny was just telling me he was considering going to community college," Tooth spoke up. "But, there's something that's hindering him."

Bunny shifted slightly. "Well, don't say it like that, sheila. A hindrance makes it sound like something bad. It's actually a little girl, Sophie, I've got back at home."

Tooth smiled hugely, clapping her hands together. "You have a daughter?!"

"Not exactly. When I first moved, I wasn't too keen on kids. One day, North asked me to drop off a donation at the orphanage, and I saw her there." He smiled wistfully. "She ran up to me, asked my name, and she just yelled out "Bunny" and started hopping around. I don't know. There was just something about that kid. I haven't been with her long. Only about half a year, but I love her to death."

Tooth reached out to place her hand on top of his. "I think that's the sweetest thing I've ever heard."

"I've got a nice girl watching her tonight. Speaking of which, I really should be getting home soon. Shall we?"

Tooth glanced up at Pitch, who was hovering silently over them as Bunny talked about Sophie.

"I can take you home, Tooth," he offered. "Give us a chance to catch up."

"Uh, that's fine," Bunny said. "You know, you guys haven't seen each other in quite some time. So, go ahead."

Tooth got off from the fountain and faced Bunny. "I'll be back at the cafe tomorrow. We can talk again then," she told him with a slight smile.

Bunny smiled back at her and nodded. "It was nice spending time with you, Tooth. And nice meeting you, Pitch."

"The pleasure was all mine," Pitch said, bowing. Bunny knew he was being sarcastic, but whatever, he was being sarcastic too.

* * *

Bunny got up from the fountain and watched as Pitch and Tooth went off together, both of them talking animatedly with one another.

Bunnymund returned to his apartment about ten minutes later. He fished his keys out of his back pocket and opened the door. Not five seconds after he shut the door, a flurry of blonde hair came hurtling towards him.

"Bunny, Bunny!" Sophie yelled with a huge smile, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Aw, hey, ya little ankle biter," he said lovingly, taking her into his arms. "You've been a good girl for Pippa?"

"Yes, yes!" She nodded, her blonde hair whipping every which way. Bunny chuckled, pushing it out of her eyes.

"She was just great," Pippa said, stepping forward to greet Bunny. "Bit hyper, but most two-year olds are."

"Thanks for this," Bunny told her. "Sorry I was a bit late. I… met someone tonight. A girl from the university."

Pippa raised an eyebrow. "How old is she?"

"I dunno. 25?" Pippa kept her eyebrow raised. "Ten years is not that much of a difference!" He shouted, turning a slight red.

"I'm kidding," she laughed. "Nah, really, I'm happy for you. Hopefully it all turns out well."

He adjusted himself, holding Sophie with one arm as he fished his wallet out of his pocket. "Soph, I've gotta put you down now."

She shook her head against his shoulder, holding him even tighter. "No, Bunny."

"Just for a few seconds, alright, love?"

"Aw. Okay."

He gently set Sophie on the floor and opened his wallet. He took out a few bills and counted them. After they were counted, he handed them to Pippa. "There's a bit extra in there. For making you work overtime."

Pippa counted the bills and shook her head. "You don't have to do that, Mr. Bunnymund." She reached out to give him the extra money.

He smiled, closing her fingers over the bills. "Take it. I mean it."

"Thank you, Mr. Bunnymund," Pippa smile. "Good night, Sophie. I'll see you tomorrow." She waved at the little girl before bidding goodnight to Bunny and leaving the apartment for the night.

Bunny shut the door after her and sighed heavily. He turned to see Sophie with her arms outstretched, silently demanding that she be picked up like Bunny had promised. He laughed, kneeling down to take her in his arms once again.

He went over to the couch and sat down, stroking her blonde hair softly.

"I missed you today," he told her. "You have fun with Pippa?" Sophie nodded into his chest. "You hungry? I'll fix you up some of my special glazed carrots. Would you like that?"

"Yes, please," she said.

"Alright, then." He kissed her forehead, setting her down on the sofa while he went into the kitchen. He looked around his apartment. It wasn't too bad, but it wasn't too great. It was big enough to accommodate for a grown man and a little girl, but it wasn't big enough to accommodate for all the people who always showed up. That included Jack, North, and Sandy. For some reason, they always came over even though they had apartments of their own.

"Bunny," Sophie's little voice brought him back to reality. "Carrots!" She pointed to the fridge.

"Right, right," he chuckled. "Sorry, Soph." Bunny went over to the fridge and took out a bag of carrots. He loved these things, which only intensified the teasing about his last name. He also got out all the other ingredients he needed to make them. "You can watch some TV if ya want."

"I wanna help!" She shouted, bouncing towards him.

"Alright, sheila, you can help. Right after I cut these carrots." He opened the drawer next to the stove for the knife. "I don't need you cutting yourself."

Sophie took a chair to climb up onto so she could watch as Bunny cut the carrots. He put the cut carrots on boiling water on the stove. Bunny put the other ingredients together into another saucepan and handed Sophie a large wooden spoon. She grinned as she stirred and stirred the mixture. Bunny smiled proudly as he watched her.

"There!" She announced when the mixture was stirred completely.

"Now, that looks beautiful," he grinned, kissing her cheek. "You're incredible, love. Let's check those carrots, eh?" He went over the saucepan containing the carrots. "Would you look at that? They're perfect." He went over to drain the carrots. "Now, what do we do next?"

Sophie pouted, thinking of what happened next. She smiled hugely, lifting her little arms high in the air, or as high as she could get them without standing up on the chair. "Mix the carrots! Right, Bunny?"

He patted her shoulder. "Right, Sophie. Now…" He dumped the carrots into the mixture and allowed Sophie to stir them together. "There," he said after a few minutes, "they're done. Let's go eat."

He put a pile of carrots onto two plates and put them on the coffee table in front of the TV. Sophie scrambled over to the table and immediately dug in. Bunny was glad to find someone who loved glazed carrots as much as he did.

They ate their carrots while watching a TV show about a fairy who spread joy throughout all the land, defeating evil with her friends wherever she went.

Bunny's thoughts couldn't help but drift towards Tooth. She reminded him of a fairy in someway. He smiled softly, actually looking forward to work the next day.

"Kangaroo!" Jack's voice came from right outside the door.

Bunny groaned; he really didn't need a headache right now, but good old Jack Frost was kind enough to bring one to him. "It's open!"

The door opened and Jack skipped in. "Hiya!"

"What are you doing here, mate? I thought you don't get off for another hour."

"Sandy and North actually showed up. Decided to close up early tonight, so North said I go could home."

"If you could go home, why aren't you home?" Bunny asked in annoyance.

"Aw, I wanted to see my friend! And my friend's little friend!" He smiled at Sophie, who grinned back, her teeth missing in several places. "Hi, Soph! What're you eating?"

"Carrots!" She exclaimed, brandishing her fork with had a glazed carrot stuck on it.

"Ew."

"You got a problem with carrots, mate?" Bunny asked.

"Yeah," Jack said bluntly. "They're disgusting. They're even more disgusting when you try to make them sweet with brown sugar."

Bunny was about to retort that Jack didn't do anything when it came to food, when a thought occurred to him. "Wait… if Sandy and North are in town, does that mean…."

"Oh, Bunny!" North's booming Russian accent rang through Bunny's apartment.

"Oh, no…"

"They're heeeeeeere," Jack sang with an evil grin.

"Pretend we're not home. That's a good idea, right?" Bunny panted heavily. "Right, Jack?"

"Oh, Bunny!" North called again, knocking on the door with his fist.

"Yeah, we're here, North!" Jack called back, and Bunny was just about ready to strangle him.

"Frost, I am going to kill you," he muttered.

Jack jumped out of Bunny's reach and answered the door. "It was open, you know," he told North.

North chuckled, patting Jack on the shoulder so roughly that his knees almost gave out. "Now, that would not be polite, young one." North was a tall, portly man with a long white beard. Most kids mistook him from Santa. Not that he minded, though. He loved children.

As soon as North entered Bunny's apartment, Sandy came in as well. Sandy was short compared to his close friend, North, with crazy blonde hair and a tranquil look on his face. He smiled at Bunny and Jack when he came in.

Bunny groaned. He really didn't need this right now.

**Author's Note: I really had to put a father-daughter moment between Bunny and Sophie. So cute! Next chapter: Jack forces Bunny to tell him, Sandy, and North all about his time with Tooth. **


	3. Chapter 3

Bunnymund groaned, rubbing his temple with his fingers as the door was shut behind Sandy. Sophie stopped eating her carrots to observe the people who had just walked in. North saw her and gave her the biggest grin possible.

"Hello, Sophie," North said. "Would you like a lollipop?" He reached into his pocket and pulled out a large rainbow lollipop.

Sophie squealed in delight. "Yes!"

"No!" Bunny shouted. "No, candy. It's already getting late. I don't need her bouncing off the walls." Sophie pouted, her hands falling to her sides. Bunny was thankful he had a child that listened. He knew she was disappointed, but she didn't throw a tantrum or anything like that. He gathered her in his arms. "Time for bed, I think. I'll put your carrots in the fridge for tomorrow. Say good night to everyone."

"Night, night," she said, waving her little hand at them. North, Sandy, and Jack waved back smiling.

Bunny pulled out a pair of pajamas for her and sent her to the bathroom to brush her teeth. After she had finished, she ran back out, and he picked her up again.

He tucked her into bed, his hand coming up to brush some stray hair out of her face. "Sorry, love," he said softly. "I promise I'll get you some candy soon. Now, you sleep tight. Pippa will be here around noon, okay?"

"Okay. Night, Bunny."

"Good night, sheila," he smiled, pressing a kiss to her forehead. He flicked on her fairy nightlight and watched her get settled from the doorway. Once she was sound asleep, he shut the door and went to join the others in the living room. "Alright, you three, we need to keep our voices down." Sandy crossed his arms and raised his eyebrows. "Sorry, Sandy. You two," he corrected himself, pointing to North and Jack, "we need to keep our voices down."

"Sure thing, captain," Jack winked, giving him a mock salute. Bunny rolled his eyes as he went to clean up the dishes. "I don't get why you're pissed. I told you I was coming."

"Yes, but I thought I would at least have an hour of peace before you showed up," Bunny replied, putting all the carrots in a small container to put in the fridge. After that, he put the dishes in the sink. "Why are you all here anyway?"

"Just stopped to see my favorite Bunny," North said simply.

"Also, we wanted to hear about your date," Jack spoke u.p.

Bunny's cheeks turned red. "It wasn't a date!" He whispered fiercely. "I was simply walking her home, and it doesn't matter anyway. I didn't even get as far as walking her home."

Jack gaped at him. "You mean to tell me that you got to kissing her already?"

"Shut up, Frost, that's not what happened at all," Bunny snapped. He sighed, plopping down on the couch. He gestured for them to sit down as well. Jack took to sitting on the table, while Sandy stood where he was and North joined Bunny on the couch. "I don't even know why I'm telling you guys this. It's really none of your business, mate."

Jack pouted, leaning forward until his nose was almost touching Bunny's. "You have to tell me, Bunny."

"I really don't have to tell you anything, Jack."

Sandy took a step forward, gesturing for Bunny to just tell them what happened. Recently, nothing interesting had been happening in any of their lives, and they loved hearing stories about their friends.

"Yes, I agree with Sandy," North spoke up. "Tell us story, Bunny."

"And if you don't, we'll just keep on bugging you," Jack grinned, and Bunny knew that any grin of Jack Frost's wasn't a good one.

Bunny sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair. "Alright, alright. We talked about college, and I told her I was thinking of going and studying art. We sat by the fountain. Some really creepy guy showed up. An old friend of hers, I suppose. I told her about Sophie. I said I had to get back home, and creepy guy offered to take Tooth. She told me she would be back at the cafe tomorrow, and she left. That's really about it."

Jack frowned. "That was anticlimactic."

"It wasn't a date, Jack. I barely know her."

"But you like her."

Bunny paused. "Yeah," he said after a minute. "I like her."

"So pursue her!" Sandy nodded vigorously, agreeing with Jack's idea.

"Are you insane?" Bunny asked, looking affronted by the idea of it.

"No, I'm not. I'm perfectly sane!"

Bunny sneered. "Oh, really? I remember you once telling me that if you could bring snow to people, you would throw snowballs at them and make them think they were going crazy by making the snowmen come to life."

Jack smiled at the memory. "I still would do that, but that's beside the point."

Bunny looked down at his feet, shaking his head. "I can't do that. I don't know… it's just… I just can't," he finished lamely. He looked up when he felt a large hand press against his shoulder. North was staring down at him, smiling sadly. "North?"

"Bunny, I think you should do this," he said. "This is the first time you have liked a girl since Marie." Bunny stiffened at the name of his ex-girlfriend who was tragically killed in a car accident five years ago. "This Tooth girl sounds like she makes you feel good, even if you have not known her for long time."

"Yeah, I bet she makes him feel real good!" Jack called out with a howl.

There was a whimper in the next room. "Jack, shut up," Bunny whispered. They waited a few moments to hear if Sophie was awake, but nothing else happened. "…North, I don't know."

North sighed softly, rubbing Bunny's shoulder. "We'll see what happens," he said. "For now, you and Tooth be friends."

"That does seem like the best thing to do," Bunny agreed with a nod. He was sure his attraction to Tooth wouldn't go anywhere. And besides, she was not there to only to be a romantic opposite for him. That wouldn't be fair to her. Friends… yeah, that was the perfect thing to do.

"Now that that's all settled," Jack said, stretching out his legs so his feet brushed against Bunny's knees. He chuckled at the irritated look his friend shot at him. "Let's eat. Good food. Not those gross carrots," he quickly added.

"I would not mind going out," North spoke up before Bunny could snap at Jack. "Someplace that serves good sweets." Sandy nodded, giving North a thumb's up. "See? Sandy agrees with me. Let us go."

Bunny sighed in relief. He could turn on the television and relax now that they were going to leave. "What a shame," he said, his voice laced with sarcasm; the only person who caught it was Jack. "Well, if you guys want to go out, I won't stop you." He stretched out a bit and closed his eyes, putting his arms behind his head.

North looked slightly disappointed. "You will not be joining us, Bunny?"

"In case you have forgotten, I have a two-year old in the next room. Can't leave her alone, can I? And I certainly can't bring her along."

Jack kicked his legs slightly. "Well, it looks like we can't go out. We'll just stay here. Order in."

Bunny's eyes snapped open. "What?"

The white haired boy smirked. "We'll go out on Saturday. Get Pippa to babysit. And…" He paused to give Bunny a wink. "…You can invite Tooth along."

Not for the first time that night, and probably not the last, Bunny felt his cheeks heat up. The more he thought about it, the more did seem to make sense. It wouldn't really be a date. Just an outing with some friends. He was sure she wouldn't mind. After all, Saturday and Sunday were the days Sandy closed the cafe since more people went to the other cafes on the weekend.

"What do you say?" Jack asked, pulling Bunny out of his thoughts.

He sighed. "Alright. It's actually not a bad idea."

"I'm Jack Frost! Every idea I have is good."

"Yeah, sure. Well, if we're gonna order in, what do you want?" He reached for the phone on the nightstand.

"Wouldn't mind pizza," Jack said.

"Just as long as you buy cinnamon sweets," North said with a big grin.

Sandy came up to Bunny and gestured that he wanted a liter of soda, but he didn't specify which.

Bunny nodded, ordering a large pepperoni and a large vegetable pizza. When Jack gave him a look about the pizza he ordered, he rolled his eyes.

They spent the majority of that night, eating pizza and talking (well, except for Sandy, who nodded and grinned at them).

**Author's note: Not the best chapter, but it'll get better later in the story. **


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Bunny woke up a little later than usual the next morning. The sun peeked in through the curtains and landed on his eyes, causing him to groan softly and flip over so he could bury his head into the soft pillow.

He was having a lovely dream, and he didn't want to wake up for anything. He met with Tooth next to the fountain, and he found that he was surprisingly confident. That was what tipped him off about it being a dream. Despite his tough and cocky attitude, he was never confident around the girls he liked. He smiled at her and asked her if she would come to dinner with him and the others that Saturday night. Tooth smiled back, though he could tell she look disappointed.

"What's wrong?" He asked her, brushing his finger over her cheekbone.

"Well, I'm ecstatic that you asked me," she explained. "But, I was hoping it'd just be the two of us."

"'The two of us?"' He couldn't contain the smile on his face at her words and the blush creeping upon her cheeks.

"I really like you."

"I really like you too. And I can just tell them that it's going to be just us on Saturday." Tooth beamed at Bunny. He leaned in slowly until his lips were mere centimeters from hers. Right before their lips were going to meet, the sound of someone shouting caused Bunny to open his eyes and the dream to fade away.

He lifted his head to see Sophie by the foot of his bed, holding her little bunny plush. She was still in her pajamas and her hair was an absolute mess.

"What is it, Soph?" He asked, rubbing his eyes and wishing she had woken him up after he and Tooth kissed.

"Breakfast," she said simply.

"What time is it?" He asked, sitting up so he could check his watch. 10:00. That wasn't good. He quickly got out of bed and rushed to the kitchen, holding Sophie's hand the whole way. "Sorry, love. I overslept a bit. Um… I don't have time to make you anything special. So…" He got the box of pop tarts and put two into the toaster. When they popped out, he put them on a plate and handed it Sophie. "Hope that's alright. I've gotta go take a shower." He patted her head while she munched on her pop tart before going into the bathroom to get ready for work.

When he emerged out of the steaming shower about twenty minutes later, Bunny grabbed a fluffy white towel and wrapped it around himself.

"Wish I could have the day off," he muttered, much like he did every morning. Then, he instantly regretted his words. Would he see Tooth if he didn't have work today? He didn't have her number, so he'd have no means to contact her.

Who would've thought a girl would be the bright moment to going to work?

He quickly got dressed in his black jeans and white collar shirt. The only thing left was his hair. He went into the living room, drying his hair with a small towel, where he found Sophie drawing.

"Hey there, Soph," he said with a soft smile. He really did love that little ankle biter. He only wished he could give her a better life. But, he supposed, it was better than the life she left behind.

"Hi, hi!" She giggled, showing off her teeth which were covered in pop tart.

"You're gonna have to brush your teeth before Pippa gets here." He sat down next to her and lifted some of her hair with his finger. "And… your hair. Come on, love. Brush your teeth, and I'll do your hair. How's that sound?"

Sophie didn't really like brushing her hair, but she liked when Bunny did it. She gave him a swift nod and scrambled off the sofa. A few minutes later, she came back, grinning to show that her teeth were now clean. She had a pale pink hairbrush in her hands.

"Good," Bunny said, taking the brush from her. He took the ottoman for her to sit in front of the sofa so he could brush her hair. He ran the brush through her blonde hair, though he found it to be rather difficult. The spindles got caught in Sophie's tangled her. Bunny gave a tug, and it came free, but not without a new friend. Blonde hair to be precise. Sophie let out a whimper. "Sorry, sorry," Bunny quickly apologized, being more careful. There were a lot of winces and a lot of apologizing, but in the end, he managed to get all the tangles out and make her hair nice and soft. He took the hairband that she had around her wrist and tied her hair into a ponytail. "Now, you look beautiful. Mind, you always look beautiful." He leaned over to a press a kiss against her cheek. It wasn't just a kiss, however. Once his lips were on her cheek, he blew a raspberry onto her skin. She giggled loudly. "I love you, you know that?"

"I love you, too, Bunny!"

He loved hearing those words. He never thought he'd develop such a strong connection with a little girl, his daughter, he considered her. He never thought he'd a have a daughter, even an adopted one. It had been while since anyone told him they loved him, romantic or platonic. His father died a long time ago when he was still young, and though he did keep in contact with his mother, it had been a while since their last talk. As for romantic, the last person to tell him she loved him was Marie. And that was the day she died.

He gulped down the lump that was beginning to form in his throat. He glanced at the clock which read "11:50." Pippa would be here soon, and he'd have to get to work. He was closing tonight, so that wasn't great. And even though Jack didn't have to work until closing tonight, he would probably stick around to bug him.

It was only five minutes later when the doorbell rang, and Pippa smiled at Bunny and Sophie. Sophie giggled, going to hug Pippa tightly. Bunny was glad to find such a nice girl to watch over Sophie while he was at work. They gained a really strong sister bond.

"Well, I better get going. I'll be home around 10:00. I expect you to be in my bed when I get home," he told Sophie sternly, but his face melted into a smile when she kissed his nose. "I mean it, Soph. I promise, I'll come to your room and say hello. Bye, love."

Sophie hugged Bunny tightly, telling him goodbye. Pippa waved at him as she took the little girl's hand and led her to the living room. Sophie went for her paper and crayons, showing off a picture she had drawn.

* * *

Bunnymund walked to work. Thankfully, it wasn't too far away. He didn't like taking buses, and he couldn't afford a car. Plus, the weather was nice, and he needed the exercise.

Jack was inside the cafe, washing a window with windex and paper towels. His eyes brightened when Bunny came into view.

"Hey, Bun-Bun!" Jack called out, waving the paper towel high in the air.

"What? No 'Kangaroo' today?" Bunny asked as he went behind the counter to grab his apron.

"I don't know. Would you rather I call you that?"

"Well, yes. It sounds a lot better than 'Bun-Bun.'"

"So… you gonna ask her today?" Jack asked.

"Yeah… I might," Bunny simply answered.

"Well, you better! And don't be all flustered!"

"That's easier said than done!"

Bunny sighed; he was not about to talk about this with Jack Frost, of all people. He looked around the cafe. There weren't much people here today. Only two. A blonde haired boy and a brunette girl. Well, this was going to be an interesting day.

It was half past three when Tooth came into the cafe. She gave Bunny a little smile as she went to sit down at her usual place.

"She's here," Jack said, nudging Bunny with his shoulder.

"I know that."

"You okay?"

"Just… give me a minute," Bunny said, his heart hammering. This wasn't going to be anything like his dream. He took a deep breath. "Okay…. Tooth!" He called out.

"Yeah?" She asked, turning to face him.

"Uh…" His throat went dry. Why was this so hard? It wasn't a date, exactly. "…Your usual?" He asked lamely. Her usual? Yesterday was the first day she went in there! How can that be a usual? "I mean… mint cappuccino again?"

"Yeah, that'd be nice," she said with a smile. He wondered if she noticed how flustered he was and decided to just play along, or if she didn't notice at all. At any rate, he was grateful she didn't ask him what was wrong.

He turned around to work on her coffee, muttering underneath his breath. "It'll be okay," he told himself. "Just ask her. It's not a date."

Jack watched intently as Bunny took the mint cappuccino to Tooth's table. He was glad there was practically no one in the cafe at this time, and the people who were there already had their coffee.

"Hey, Tooth," Bunny said. "Here you go." He put the cup on the table careful to avoid her books.

"Thanks," she smiled, taking a small sip. "Delicious!"

"So… I was wondering," he started, feeling the confidence melt away like a snowman under a hot sun.

Jack leaned over the counter to get a better look at them. As Bunny was stammering over his words, a customer came up to the counter, blocking Jack's view.

"Can I have some more sugar?" The guy asked.

"Sure, sure, whatever," Jack muttered, handing the guy sugar as he tried to crane his neck to see Bunny and Tooth.

The guy just stared down at the sugar packets in his hand, wondering what was going on with Jack's attitude.

"Do you need anything else?" Jack asked. "No? Move along, please." He waved his hand to gesture for the customer to be on his way.

He looked confused as he went back to his seat to his girlfriend.

"What is it, Bunny?" Tooth asked politely.

"Well… Saturday… do you want to go out to dinner?" He realized how it sounded, and his face turned red. "It's not just gonna you and me. North, Sandy, the owner of this cafe, and Jack are going to."

"Jack is going?" She asked, looking over to the boy behind the counter.

"Yeah. I'm sorry. I know he's annoying and all, but it'd be really nice if you joined us. We can get to know each other and…" He trailed off, feeling more foolish by the second.

He didn't notice the slight tinge of pink on Tooth's cheek because he was staring at the ground. "I'd love to join you guys," she said.

Bunny snapped his head up, a smile gracing his features. "Yeah?"

"Yes."

"Great." He let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding. "And…" He turned to look at Jack. No one told him which restaurant they were going to. "Where are we going?"

"What?" Jack asked.

"You have no idea which place we're going to on Saturday?" Leave it to Jack Frost to get him irritated.

"Well, we're inviting Tooth. I figured she could choose the place."

Tooth was taken aback. She opened her mouth, closed it, opened it again, and closed it again. "Well, there is a nice pasta place I like. Do you guys like pasta?"

"Sure," Jack answered. "Pasta's fine with me. What's it called?"

"The Man in the Moon. It's a small pasta place, but it's very good."

Tooth reached out a hand toward Bunny, who looked a bit perplexed, to say the least. "Yeah, sheila?"

"I should give you the address. And my number."

Jack grinned over at Bunny. "She's giving you her number!" He mouthed with his thumbs up. Bunny glared at him.

Tooth picked up the blue pen that was resting near her open notebook, and she scribbled her number on Bunny's palm as well as the address for The Man in the Moon.

He noticed that her hands were very soft. Trying very hard not to dwell on that thought, he smiled politely and nodded.

"Thanks, Toothy," he said. "Toothy… that's alright if I call you that, yeah?"

She nodded. "I think it's cute."

"Saturday, then," he said. "About seven?"

"Sounds good."

He walked over behind the counter to help Jack clean up.

"You gonna make a move on her Saturday night?" was the first thing Jack asked when Bunny joined him.

Right on cue, red spread across the older man's cheeks. He was close to grabbing the broom that was only a few feet away and start beating Jack to death with it. "Would you stop it? My relationship with Tooth is nothing like that."

"But, you like her."

"Not like that."

Jack raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms, giving his friend the "are you serious?" look.

Bunny ignored him and decided to mop up the floors, his mind wandering to Saturday night and how it will all turn out.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Bunny grinned at the thought of Saturday night as he and Sophie walked home from the grocery store. Just as he promised a few nights ago, he bought her nice, big, colorful lollipop. She was licking it happily as they walked.

Saturday could not come quick enough. Bunny was excited, yet, at the same time, nervous. He really wanted to make a good impression on Tooth. Maybe, then, she'd like him back.

Suddenly, he stopped walking. Whoa! Where did that thought come from? Sure, he liked Tooth. More than he'd care to admit. It was just an attraction. That was it. He didn't have any expectations about Saturday, except that things go smoothly, and no one caused a disruption, which was very unlikely, he thought. That didn't stop him, however, from having hopes.

"It'll be alright, mate," he muttered to himself in an attempt to stop his mind from hammering.

"Bunny?" Sophie asked softly. She had bounded back to him once she realized he was not walking with her anymore. She stared at him with concern on her sticky, little face.

"I'm alright, sheila," he said softly. "Thanks for the concern." He patted her head and they started walking again.

"Bunny?" Sophie asked again after they started walking upstairs to their apartment building.

"Yeah, sheila?" He asked, fishing out his key from his pockets and opening the door. They stepped into the apartment, and he set the grocery bags on the counter.

"Pippa's coming?"

"Yep. On Saturday," he replied, opening the bags to put the groceries away. Sophie reached out her hand to take the bag of carrots. She wanted to put them in the fridge. Bunny looked at her sticky little hand. "I don't think so, love. You wash those hands, then you can help. Let me take that from you." He took the lollipop from her, and she went over to wash her hands in the sink, using a small step so she could reach. Bunny wrapped the rest of the lollipop in saran wrap so she could finish it later. "Now, those hands are clean enough to put carrots away," he said with a proud smile, handing her the bag. She took it with a big smile and put them in the fridge.

"Done!" She announced.

"Very good."

Sophie smiled. She always loved getting praised from Bunny. She ran out of the kitchen and into her bedroom. She returned with her paper and crayons.

"Look!" She said, showing Bunny one drawing she did the day before when Pippa was babysitting her.

Bunny stopped putting away the canned soup to take the drawing from Sophie's hands. It was a picture of him and her holding hands. She drew bunny ears on him. He smiled softly. "It's gorgeous, sheila." He reached his hand out to give back to her, but she shook her head.

"You keep it!"

"Really? Well, thank you, Sophie. That means a lot to me. I'll put it right here." He took a small magnet and put her drawing on the fridge. "So, I can see it everyday." He kneeled down to kiss her forehead.

* * *

Bunny couldn't believe he was doing this. He was standing in front of his closet, trying to decide what to wear to dinner that night. It wasn't as if it was date. But, he still wanted to look nice for her. How was he going to do this? Collar shirt with a tie? Collar shirt without a tie? Collar shirt with a tie and a vest? He sighed, wishing he wasn't such a nervous wreck.

Suddenly, there was a loud knock on the door. Bunny put the collar shirt he was considering wearing back in the closet and went to answer the door.

Jack stood there with a big grin on his face. He was wearing a blue sweater with brown jeans. "Hey, Kangaroo!" His grin faded slightly as took in the sight of his friend. "You planning on wearing a tank top and blue boxers?"

"Shut it," Bunny growled. "I'm trying to decide what to wear."

Jack let out a incredulous laugh. "You're trying to decide what to wear," he repeated. "Dude, you totally have the hots for her!"

Bunny rolled his eyes. "I'm nervous enough as it is! Don't make it worse!"

"Here, I'll help you pick out something," Jack said, squeezing past Bunny. "Where's Sophie?" He asked. Usually when he came over, she would run to the door and give him a big hug.

"I dropped her off at Pippa's about half an hour ago," Bunny answered. "Pippa has some sort of art project to finish, and she said Sophie could help her out. I thought it'd be better if she went to her house."

"Ah."

Jack went into Bunny's bedroom and went straight for the closet. "You should totally wear this!" He exclaimed, pulling out a Hawaiian shirt that he gave Bunny for Christmas.

"Hahahahahaha no."

"Do you ever wear it?"

"Yeah, all the time," he replied upon seeing Jack's pout. "I was thinking the vest and collar shirt. Does that sound too fancy?"

"You're acting like a teenage girl. It doesn't sound too bad. Just don't wear suit pants. Wear jeans. Be a little semi-formal. Formal from the waist up!" He grinned. "Besides, looking kinda fancy might attract her. Ya never know."

Jack had a point. He didn't know much about Tooth's preferences, but better safe than sorry, right? He grabbed a white collar shirt and black vest. He kept his eyes on the mirror he had as he buttoned up his shirt and put the vest over it. He turned back over to the closet, eying the black tie. Should he…? He reached and pulled it out.

"What are you doing?" Jack asked. "I think that's a bit too fancy."

"Don't care," Bunny grumbled as he put the tie on. "I think it might be better."

"Fine. It's your date."

Bunny's fingers slipped, causing the tie to unravel slightly. "It's not a date, Frost! How many times must I say it?" He groaned, reaching down to fix his tie.

Jack pursed his lips and shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever you say." Nothing else was said on the matter, though Bunny knew his friend was not convinced.

"Let's go," Jack whined about a half hour later. "Your hair is fine! I bet Sandy and North are already there. Wait… You did give them the address, didn't you?"

Bunny popped his head out of the bathroom door. "You really think I'm that stupid?" When Jack opened his mouth, he pointed a finger and snapped, "don't say anything! Anyway," he continued, "I texted North last night."

"Okay. So, you done yet?"

"Almost." Bunny ran his fingers through his hair one last time so it stuck a bit. "Done," he said, washing his hands before following Jack out of the apartment. "I wish I could get a car."

"How far is the place?" Jack asked.

"Not too far, but still. It'd be so much easier to get around with a car. What if I don't get one by the time Sophie starts school?"

"Dude, that's years off. You'll get one."

"Not if I'm working at the cafe. I mean, I've been saving up and all, but bills and all that…"

"Yeah, I get you."

A thought crossed Bunny's mind. "How can you live by yourself?"

"I'm 18," he said simply.

"I thought you were 17."

Jack crossed his arms. "I'm offended, Kangaroo." He turned his head and sniffed as though he were near tears. "We've been friends for so long. I've been 18 for a long time, buddy!"

"I've only known you for about a year."

Jack turned his head again to face his friend. He had on the biggest grin. "Just messing with you."

"You're a jerk," Bunny sighed, rolling his eyes.

Jack let out a soft chuckle. "My birthday's today, actually."

Bunny's eyes widened. He had that nagging feeling all day that he had forgotten something, but he couldn't place it. He sighed deeply, feeling extremely foolish and guilty. "Crikey, sorry, mate. Really. 18, yeah? That's a milestone."

Jack patted him on the shoulder. "It's no problem. All that's important now is your relationship with Tooth."

"I will make up for this, mate. Whatever you want, it's yours."

"Whatever I want?" He asked in a voice that made Bunny wish he hadn't said anything.

Feeling slightly uncomfortable, Bunny nodded slowly.

"Kiss Tooth tonight."

"Anything except that," he said at once, cheeks turning a slight reddish color. "Come on, Jack. Anything else. Anything not involving Tooth. Please. I don't know how she feels. That might destroy our friendship." He was this close to actually getting on his knees and begging, and that was frightening him. Not because he thought he was too good for begging, but because his feelings for this girl were terrifying. He nearly strangled Jack when he saw that he had another mischievous grin on his face.

"Alright, you don't have to do that," Jack said, shrugging. "I don't care what you get me. Just make it something cool. Now, let's go. We can't keep them waiting."

Bunny walked in a slow pace, his hands in his jean pockets. His heart-rate was already at an all-time high, but upon finding out that today was Jack's 18th-18th, for god's sake- birthday, it was worse. Though he'd never admit, he was growing quite fond of the kid. Kid… he wasn't a kid anymore, was he? Well, he would always be a kid to him.

He sped up his pace a bit to catch up with Jack. He reached out a hand to ruffle his white hair. "You're a good kid sometimes, Frost, when you're not being a prat."

Jack grinned, pushing Bunny's hand away. "And you're a good guy sometimes, Kangaroo, when you're not being real annoying, real grumpy, or really full of yourself."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Bunny and Jack arrived at the Man in the Moon a few minutes before seven. North and Sandy were waiting outside the restaurant, sitting on one of the few benches provided. Bunny glanced around; there was no sign of Tooth.

"Hey," he said, taking a seat next to Sandy. "You got a name in?"

"Yes," North replied. "I used my name. They looked at me funny, but I merely shrugged it off. North is a very strong name, don't you think?"

"Sure. Have you seen a girl here with red hair and feather accessories?"

"Is that the girl we are meeting?"

"Yeah."

North shook his head. "We have not seen her yet."

Bunny felt his heart sink ever so slightly. "There's still time."

Jack took to standing on a small brick wall around the garden. He balanced himself on one foot and walked across it. He spotted a stick in the garden, so he picked it up. He swung it around as he went across the brick wall, pretending it was a staff of some sort. "Imagine," he spoke up. "if I had powers. Like, what if I could shoot snow out of this staff? That'd be cool, huh?"

"Not really," Bunny said, shaking his head. "You can really mess up some holidays that way, mate. Like Easter, for instance."

Jack chuckled. "Oh, the Bunny and Easter. Why am I not surprised?" He glanced over at North and Sandy, slightly disappointed neither of them told him-or at least expressed- happy birthday. It wasn't like North to just ignore a day like this, especially an 18th birthday. He supposed they were more concerned about Bunny, though. Tooth was the first girl he showed in any interest in since Marie died. That was more important than a birthday. He'd have a lot of those. He was fine as long as they did something for his 21st. Vegas sounded like a good idea.

The minutes ticked by, and soon it was 7:10, and no sign of Tooth. Bunny was feeling his hope dwindling away fast. "She's not coming," he said with defeat in his voice.

"Don't say that," North chided him. "She is probably only running late."

"She probably pieced it together. That I like her. I probably scared her off. Blimey, I'm an idiot."

Sandy tapped Bunny on the shoulder, but the other man merely waved his hand. Sandy tried to get the attention of the others, but both North and Jack were looking over at Bunny, trying to find out a way to comfort him. Sandy rolled his eyes, taking his phone out of his pocket. He pressed a button, and a long ringing noise played, causing Bunny, North, and Jack to turn their heads.

"Tooth!" Bunny exclaimed. She was smiling softy as she walked up to meet them. She was wearing a yellow tunic, dark green tights, and blue flats. Her eyes were shrouded with her signature light pink eyeshadow.

"Sandy! Why didn't you say something?" North asked. Sandy crossed his arms and pouted.

"Sorry I'm late," Tooth said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I was finishing up some homework, and I completely lost track of the time."

Bunny let out a sigh of relief. That was all it was? "Oh, it's fine. Schoolwork comes first, yeah? Where are my manners? Tooth, you know Jack, obviously."

"Obviously," Jack said.

"And this is North," Bunny said, pointing to the large man beside him. "And Sandy." He pointed to the shorter man.

North shook Tooth's hand vigorously. "It is very nice to meet you, Tooth."

Sandy smiled warmly at her and took her hand after North was done.

"Well, there's your daily exercise," Bunny chuckled.

"North," the maitre'd called from the restaurant. "Your table is ready."

"Oh, it is time for us to go!" North exclaimed, clapping his hands together. "Come." He put his arm around Tooth and led her inside. She was laughing the whole way.

"I think she's gonna fit in just fine," Jack told Bunny as they followed.

* * *

North, Tooth, and Sandy sat one side of the table while Bunny and Jack sat on the other. Bunny was pleased that he was sitting right across from her, and it would be easier for him to talk to her. As soon as everyone was seated and comfortable, the waiter came around to their table.

"Hello," he said. He couldn't have been much older than Pippa; they might have been the same age. "My name's Jamie, and I'll be your waiter this evening. Can I start you off with something to drink?"

"Ladies first," Bunny said, gesturing for Tooth to order first.

"Oh, I'd like a mint iced tea, please."

"Root beer for me," Jack spoke up.

Sandy pointed to the picture of lemonade on the menu while North ordered a large brandy.

Bunny considered getting a drink. It had been a while since he actually gone out, so a drink wouldn't be a bad idea. But…he had Sophie to think about. What if he got tipsy or more? "Just an iced tea for me, thanks," he finally said.

Jamie nodded as he scribbled down their orders on his notepad. "Alright, then. I'll be back with your drinks, and then I'll take your orders." He walked back to the kitchens.

Jack tapped Bunny on the shoulder. "Iced tea? You're so uptight; you should've gotten a vodka."

"Believe me, I was considering it. But, whatever. It's fine."

"So, Tooth," North said; Bunny was grateful North was there to fill in the awkward silences. "You go to the university?"

Tooth nodded. "Mmm-hmm. I would like to be a dentist. I know that sounds odd because my name is Tooth, but I've always been fascinated by teeth. Actually, my real name is Toothiana. It's a bit of a mouthful though." She turned her head to look at Sandy. "Sandy, you're the one who owns the cafe, yeah?"

Sandy smiled and nodded.

"I love it. It's one of the nicest cafes I ever been at. And your staff," she looked over at Bunny and Jack, "are so kind."

"You haven't met Emma, though, " Jack said. "She's pretty awesome, herself."

At this time, Jamie returned with their drinks. He put them on the table before taking out his notepad. "You ready to order?"

"Again, ladies first," Bunny smiled warmly.

Tooth gave the menu one glance. She had been here before, but it had been a while. "Chicken Alfredo, please."

"This meatlover's pizza sure does look good," Jack said, pointing to the picture of a personal pizza covered in sausage, chicken, and pepperoni. "I'll have that."

"I will take the spaghetti and meatballs," North said next. "Sandy will have the shrimp scampi."

"Alright," Jamie said as he jotted the orders down. "And for you, sir?" He asked Bunny.

"The vegetable lasagna, thank you."

Jamie took the menus from them and retreated into the kitchen to give the ticket to the chef.

"Bunny, you're so out of the loop," Jack said, sipping at his root beer. "Everyone's getting something with meat in it. And you? Vegetable lasagna." He laughed in disbelief.

Bunny rolled his eyes, absentmindedly stirring the already dissolved sugar into his tea. "You've known me for a little over a year, Jack. I'm not going to magically desert my vegetarian ways."

"Sometimes I wish you would. Meat is delicious!"

Tooth giggled. The banter between Bunny and Jack really was amusing.

Bunny caught her eye from across the table. He was really hating the way his cheeks have been reacting these last few days. He must've blushed more in this week than he ever had in his life. He opened his mouth to speak, but he found his throat was incredibly dry. He took a large gulp of tea before speaking, "Tooth, I didn't get a chance to tell you…. You…" Oh, those eyes of hers, staring right through him. How could he expect to talk in a complete sentence when his brain was having trouble forming coherent thoughts? "You… look very nice tonight," he managed to say. He let out a sigh. That could've been worse. He could've gone all Yoda and said, "Tonight nice very, you look."

She smiled shyly, her hand going to twirl her hair. "You really think so? You look nice tonight, too. I really like the vest."

_I am so glad I wore this vest,_ he thought.

"So… how are studies?" He asked her.

"Not too bad, actually."

"Why do you sound surprised?" Jack asked.

"Well, during this time of the year, things get hectic. And I'm not gonna lie, it has been, but it hasn't been as bad as last semester, you know?" She sighed. "I do have a lot of studying to do next week. Tests, and all that fun stuff."

"See, that's why I don't go to school," Jack grinned, throwing his hands up into the air.

"Haven't you ever gone to school?"

He sniffed. "Of course I have! I graduated high school! Just… don't have the money to go to college." He shifted in his seat.

"Kind of like me," Bunny said, ruffling his hair. "Except he doesn't have a two-year old to look after."

"Nope, it's just me, myself, and I!" Jack announced proudly, reclining back on his chair. Truth was he did get lonely. That was why he visited Bunny so often. Of course, he was not about to say that.

"North, if you drink that any faster, you're gonna have a terrible hangover in the morning," Bunny said when he saw that North was halfway finished with his brandy already. At least Sandy would be capable of driving him home tonight.

North laughed his hearty laugh. "You need to lighten up, old friend. It is celebration, after all."

"Yeah," Jack agreed, putting his chair upright so he could get to his drink. "We're celebrating the day everyone got to meet your girlfr…"

Before Jack could finish sentence, Bunny put a hand around his mouth. "If you wanna live to see tomorrow morning, I suggest you hold your tongue," he muttered menacingly.

Jack mumbled against Bunny's hand. "Okay, okay," he said once he was able to.

For most of the evening, everyone was animated. Though he wasn't sure how the night would go, Bunny was glad that North, Jack, and Sandy tagged along. If it was just him and Tooth, it probably would've been extremely awkward.

Near the end of the night, Jamie came up to their table. He had a big smile on his face.

"I understand we're celebrating something tonight," he said.

Bunny groaned inwardly. What did Jack do now?

Two more people came up behind Jamie, a waiter and a waitress. The waitress was holding a large cake.

"It's someone's 18th birthday!" She sang.

Jack went red in the face. They remembered, after all?

"Guys, really?" He asked, a smile gracing his features.

"But, of course!" North yelled. "It's not everyday our friend turns 18, is it?"

"This is awesome!" The waitress put the cake on the table in front of Jack and lit the candle. After everyone had sang happy birthday, he blew the candle out. "Whoo!" He cheered.

Bunny clapped along with everyone else. He still felt guilty about forgetting Jack's birthday, but he was glad North and Sandy made up for it. Still… he'd have to buy the kid something.

Once Jack's plate was completely clean, Tooth glanced at her watch.

"Oh, wow," she said. "I didn't know how late it had gotten. I have to be up early tomorrow to finish some schoolwork." She fished her wallet out of her purse.

"No, no," North shook his head. "I will take care of it."

"Are you sure? Because I don't mind at least paying for my share." Tooth's cheeks were turning red.

"I am sure."

She nodded as she put her wallet back inside her purse. "Well, I had a wonderful time tonight. North, Sandy, it was a pleasure meeting you. Happy birthday, again, Jack."

"Thanks!"

"Thank you for inviting me, Bunny."

"You're quite welcome, sheila." He watched as she got out of her seat and made her way toward the exit. "Tooth, wait!" He called out.

"He's gonna make a move on her," Jack informed North and Sandy, which earned him a smack upside the head.

"Yeah?" Tooth asked.

"Let me walk you home," Bunny told her. "It's dark out, and I'd feel a lot better if I walked you home." He was sure Tooth could handle herself. After all, she probably walked home by herself at night loads of times.

"I'd like that," she said with a warm smile.

After Bunny had said his goodbyes to the others, he joined Tooth outside the restaurant. He walked alongside her, his hands deep in his pockets. If his hands were dangling by his sides, he would have the urge to grab her hand, and he just couldn't have that.

"I had fun," she said, breaking the silence looming between them.

"So did I."

"They're a lively bunch, aren't they? Your friends?"

"You have no idea," Bunny chuckled. "They come over to my apartment about, oh, four times a week. It's hard to get any peace."

"But, it must be nice having those three around. You know? Having those people care so much about you."

Did that have a double meaning? He was tempted to ask her about her friends, but he managed to stop himself; it really wasn't any of his business. "Yeah," he said instead. "I'm grateful for them. Even if they annoy me a lot. Especially Jack. Still, thanks to them, there's never a dull day. And Sophie adores them."

Tooth nudged him slightly. "You're a good guy, Bunny."

His cheeks burned. "Yeah?"

"Yes. Most guys your age wouldn't think of adopting a little girl."

"Well, I wasn't thinking of it either, you know. It just sort of happened."

"Even so. I still think it's admirable."

He bowed his head so she couldn't see his dorky smile. "You know, I'd love for you to meet her someday." He looked up to see Tooth smiling hugely at him.

"I'd love to! She sounds like the sweetest thing ever."

"You want kids," it was more of a statement, then a question. Tooth, cheeks burning slightly, nodded. "Why are you blushing? I think you'd make a terrific mother."

"You think so?"

"'Course I do, sheila."

Tooth smiled, and then she shivered. She hadn't brought a jacket along, and it was starting to get cold. Bunny took one hand out of his pocket and put his arm around her.

"Sorry," he muttered. "You just seemed cold, and I…"

She pressed her head against his shoulder. "No, this feels nice."

He smiled softly. "You know… we've become good friends in such a short time, and we don't know much about each other. How about we fill each other in?"

"That sounds like a good idea."

"Well, first off… you know my last name is Bunnymund, which is why people call me "Bunny." My first name is Aster."

"Aster?" Tooth asked. "That's a nice name. Why don't you go by that?"

He didn't answer her at once. Maybe he shouldn't have said anything. "Well, it's a special name, I suppose. Only my mother and sisters call me that. And…" He paused. Should he tell her? What was her the harm. "…My ex-girlfriend, Marie. It's sort of a name reserved for people who love me, I guess."

"Oh." Tooth didn't blame him for not wanting to go by Aster. "I'm sorry. It must feel awful."

"It's worst than that, I'm afraid. You see, Marie and I didn't actually break up." He gulped, his throat suddenly burning. "She died. Car accident. About five years ago."

Tooth stopped walking.

"Sheila?" He asked uncertainly. Her eyes were shining with tears. Oh, he hated when people cried. "Oh, Tooth, please, don't cry! I'm sorry; I shouldn't have said anything."

Tooth shook her head, wiping her eyes with her finger. "No, don't be. I'm sorry that has happened to you."

He ruffled her hair, enjoying the angry pout that appeared on her face. "Sheila, it's not your fault. I appreciate the concern, but I'm fine. It's been five years, I'm over it."

"You sure?" She asked with a hiccup.

"Positive. Come on, let's get you home."

He put his arm around her again, holding her closer than before. She didn't protest, so he took this as a good sign. It really did feel nice.

About ten minutes later, they arrived outside her apartment door. He took his arm off her shoulders, and watched as she fished through her purse for her key.

"Thanks again, Bunny," she said as she put the key into the lock. "I had a wonderful time tonight."

"Same here, sheila." He stood rooted to the spot for a few minutes before awkwardly moving away. "I'll see you next week." It was strange that he was suddenly so nervous. He spent half a mile with his arm around her, perfectly content. But, now, standing in front of her, the light of her apartment clearly illuminating her beauty, his heart decided to go into overdrive.

She got on her tiptoes and gave him a soft hug and a kiss on the cheek. "See you," she said once she was dislodged from him.

His heart was racing faster than ever. She just hugged him… and kissed him! He nodded at her and left the apartment building, his palms sweaty, and his face burning hotter than ever. He placed his hand on the place where she kissed him, and the tiniest bit of a smile appeared on his face.

_Oh, god, _he thought, and he stopped in his tracks, the smiling melting from his face. _I'm in love with her. _How did this happen? He had only known her for a few days, but the way he was feeling right now, there was so denying it. _I'm in love with her. _


End file.
